It's said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It not only gets your body energized, what you eat for breakfast sets the tone for your entire day.

People who eat fast food, a doughnut, danish or similar food are more likely to continue making unhealthy food choices than those people who start the day with a healthy breakfast. And, oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfasts you can eat!

Oatmeal is made from oat grains that have been hulled. There are several different types of oatmeal on the market: rolled, steel cut and ground.

Many athletes eat rolled oats for breakfast due to their water soluble fiber and high complex carbohydrate content that can keep blood glucose levels constant and slow digestion. Oatmeal also contains 6 grams of protein per cup, Vitamin B1, Vitamin E, magnesium, copper and biotin.

Oatmeal's popularity grew in the late 1980's when research showed that it can lower the risk of heart disease by lowing cholesterol. An oatmeal craze hit the United States and many cereal manufacturers began to add oat bran to their list of ingredients in order to make the claim to be "heart healthy."

Oatmeal is a diverse grain that can be used and cooked many ways. It's a main ingredient in haggis, a Scottish dish. It can be made into desserts like cookies and crisps and is often an ingredient in breakfast bars and protein bars.

Changes to your body if you eat oatmeal every day:

Eating oatmeal daily can help you lose weight. Due to its high fiber content, it can aid in weight loss by making you feel full for a long period of time. And since it can keep blood sugars at an even keel, you won't experience blood sugar "crashes" and the drop in energy and intense feelings of hunger that go with them.

Maintaining satiety and good blood sugar levels will prevent you from grabbing the first snack you come across, which is usually high in sugar and calories. So, oatmeal can help reduce the amount of calories you take in while keeping your energy levels steady, so you may actually feel energetic enough to work out!

Along with less snacking that leads to weight loss, oatmeal has a plethora of other health benefits like these that were mentioned on theworlshealthiestfoods.org:

  • Lower cholesterol
  • Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
  • Decreased risk of heart failure
  • Better immune response
  • Decreased risk of type 2 diabetes
  • Stabilized blood sugar levels
  • Great source of fiber which protects against breast cancer
  • Protect against childhood asthma
  • Alternative for celiac disease patients or gluten-intolerant individuals
  • Prolongs life expectancy

I would also like to add that due to its rather bland taste, it's really tempting to add things such as refined sugar, brown sugar, cream, etc to your oatmeal. Instead, try adding fresh fruit, nuts, spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, or low-fat yogurt to your oatmeal to add taste and additional nutrition.